Ask the PT – Yoga with S1 Impingement or Sciatic Pain

Is Yoga good for an S1 impingement or sciatic pain? I have not been medically diagnosed but I believe the chronic pain I feel is related to either of those conditions. My friend recommended starting yoga at a yoga studio in Yonkers and I just was not sure if it what a professional would recommend.

Thank you,
Ashley

Hello Ashley,

Thank you for asking! The simple answer is that yoga can be good for an S1 Impingement and Sciatic pain.

Unfortunately, the full answer is that all impingements and sciatica are not equal. Some respond well to certain types of yoga, others do not. Depending on the cause of the impingement and the type of yoga, it may or may not be helpful.

Sciatic nerve is located on the sacral plexus of the lower back (between lumbar L4 and sacral S3). When it becomes compressed you would have to know what is placing pressure on the nerve. Typically, a misaligned spine will have some friction with the causing it to release pain signals along your lower back up to as far as your upper thigh, the most obvious and effective means to remove this friction is to apply manual therapies to properly align the spine.

Yoga in itself is a routine of stretches which is excellent for strengthening muscles and reducing cramping, but what most do not credit yoga for is how useful it is in realigning joints. Adopting a yoga routine and ensuring that you put emphasis on both the upper neck and lower back will yield some result in correcting the alignment of your spine thereby assisting with S1 impingement or sciatica. Speak with a yoga instructor about your pain and see what exercises he or she recommends to you. If the pain persists, speak with your physician or get help from a qualified Yonkers physical therapist like our center. An experienced instructor will be able to give you more insight into whether or not their class or program can be helpful; if the degree of pain is high I would exercise some caution before attempting more difficult yoga poses.

It is important that you seek medical attention for your chronic pain. Although there are excellent sources of information online, you do not have the professional training to estimate with absolute certainty what the source of your pain is.

I would recommend making an appointment at our Yonkers Physical Therapy Facility so that you can make sure you are treating your back properly.